How to rent a property for tenants

Register with us by calling one of our letting offices or visiting the My Knight Frank section of our website. You’ll then receive email alerts about new rental properties in London and the UK as they become available.

We do our best to arrange appointments that are convenient for you. This could be during weekdays, evenings and on Saturdays.

You make an offer by completing a prospective tenancy form. We’ll ask you for information such as who'll be living in the property, the offer amount, the start date of the tenancy, the length of tenancy, and any additional requests. Once an offer has been agreed, we’ll take a holding fee which will go towards your final move-in costs.

The next step is introducing you to our Tenancy Progression team who'll send you a copy of the tenancy agreement. They'll also send you a link to provide your information for references. The referencing process includes confirming your income, obtaining a previous landlord reference, conducting a right-to-rent check, and any further checks required.

A property marked as ‘let agreed’ means a tenant has paid the admin fee or deposit and the landlord or letting agency is reviewing their references and conducting credit checks. If the tenant's application is approved, the property will usually stay listed as ‘let agreed’ until the contracts are signed and it’s removed from the market. If the application is declined, the property will be re-listed and the ‘let agreed’ status removed.

If you think your referencing is going to fail, it’s important to contact us as soon as possible as there may be an alternative option. This could be adding a guarantor to your application, or paying your rent in advance.

To rent a property in England, you must prove you have the legal right to do so. The landlord or letting agent will conduct checks to verify your status. You have a right to rent in the UK if

• You're a British or EEA citizen
• You have indefinite leave (without restriction) to remain in the UK, or you have settled status
• You have permission to be in the UK (for example, if you're currently on a work or student visa)
• You have been granted a time-limited right to rent by the Home Office

Our checks require you visiting one of our offices with the correct documents as proof. Speak to your letting agent to find out exactly which documents you need to bring.

Please note that there's no right-to-rent requirement in Scotland.

There are two types of fees, depending on your tenancy agreement. 

• Tenant fees for an assured shorthold tenancy (AST) (PDF)
• Tenant fees for a non-assured shorthold tenancy (non-AST) (PDF)

Before the tenancy begins, an inventory is prepared detailing the contents and condition of the property. This is carried out by an independent inventory clerk and a copy is supplied to both landlord and tenant.

We’ll send you a statement outlining the initial payments due. This includes the advance payment (usually one month or a quarter of rent depending on the agreement), the tenancy agreement fee, and a deposit (typically six weeks' rent). All payments must be cleared before the tenancy starts.

The keys will be given to you once we receive the initial payments, the tenancy agreement has been signed, and all other tenancy documents completed. We also need to have received all the compliance documents from the landlord, such as a valid gas safety certificate. We’ll then arrange for an inventory to take place. Once completed, we’ll send it over to you with the tenancy documents.

The process from making an offer to moving in can be as quick as three working days, providing you complete all references, sign all tenancy documentation, and the property is ready for habitation. If the start of your tenancy is more than three working days from the offer agreed date, we’ll make sure the paperwork is completed as soon as possible.

On the day your tenancy commences, an independent inventory clerk will conduct a check-in and you’ll get the keys. If we manage the property, our property manager will introduce themselves to assist with any issues during your tenancy. If the property is managed by the landlord or a third-party management company, we’ll provide their contact details for your reference.

The most common emergencies are fire, criminal matters, uncontrollable leaks and gas leaks.

• If you have a fire or there is a criminal matter, contact 999 immediately.
• If you smell gas, contact the national grid who'll send out an emergency contractor.
• If you have a water leak in your apartment that originates there, contact us as soon as possible.
• If you have a water leak from the apartment above, ask them to stop using the water-related equipment and notify your property manager as soon as possible.
• If you're a tenant in a property managed by us and have an out of office hours emergency, please call 020 3006 8334.

For minor maintenance issues, we’re authorised by the landlord to instruct the work. The contractor will contact you directly and arrange access. Rest assured our contractors are vetted and have insurance and qualifications in place.

For more serious maintenance issues, we require approval. There could be a delay due to the location of the landlord or for the landlord to request further quotes. Once we have approval, we’ll request funds from the landlord. When we have funds, we can instruct the contractor who’ll contact you for access.

Tenants may be asked to cover the cost of contractor services. For example, if a kitchen sink is blocked from improper use, such as disposing of food waste or fat down the drain, the tenant is responsible for the cost of the contractor’s labour and parts to fix the issue.

We also provide user manuals to help you address minor maintenance issues yourself, which could prevent the need for a contractor. Your property manager will happily assist you over the phone too.

If your boiler isn’t working it could be a simple fix, such as topping up the pressure. Your property manager can talk you through this over the phone. For more serious matters, your property manager will arrange for a qualified gas engineer to attend.

To clear the filters in your washing machine or tumble dryer, refer to the user manual. If you require any further help, contact your property manager who can talk you through this over the phone.

Contact your property manager who'll run through the process with you as per the tenancy agreement. We’ll then book an inventory clerk to do the checkout on the last day of your tenancy. The clerk will be in touch with you directly to book a suitable time.

You’re responsible for leaving the property as you found it. This means in good condition with the allowance for general wear and tear. You’re also contractually obliged to do certain tasks, such as cleaning and informing utility companies you’re moving out. You should also arrange for any mail to be forwarded as it won’t be possible to pick up your post once the tenancy has transferred.

After checkout we’ll email the checkout report to both you and the landlord. We’ll also update the utility providers with the final meter readings, so they can send you a final bill.

To get your deposit back an agreement needs to be reached between yourself and the landlord. If the landlord has given us confirmation they’re not looking to make any deductions, you’ll receive your deposit back in full. If there are any dilapidations, such as cleaning or damages, we’ll list these, send them to the landlord to approve, and then forward them on for you to review.

If there’s a disagreement between you and the landlord and you have an assured shorthold tenancy, either one of you can refer this to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS). The TDS will ask us to send them the disputed funds which they’ll hold until the report has been completed. The TDS will investigate, create a report which is binding, and then release the money. If the tenancy is not an assured shorthold tenancy, your property manager will explain the process to you.

Once an agreement has been reached between you and the landlord, you’ll receive the money within 10 working days.

If we don’t manage the property, the processes are slightly different. Get in touch and we’ll be happy to explain them to you.

Three months before the end of tenancy, we’ll contact you to discuss the option of renewal. If the tenancy is an assured shorthold tenancy, a Section 21 notice will also be issued as a precaution, in case the tenancy isn’t renewed two months before its end. If neither the tenant nor the landlord wants to renew, an end tenancy coordinator will reach out to assist with the process.

If you want to renew, we’ll contact the landlord to confirm their agreement to extend the tenancy. If there is the option to renew, the details will be outlined in the tenancy agreement, including any potential rent increase and the deadline by which you must notify us.

We’ll act on behalf of both the landlord and tenant. The renewals team consult with the office manager to assess current market conditions and negotiate between the parties until an agreement is reached. If there are any changes to the occupants of the property, we need to be notified.

The tenant and landlord aren’t required to sign a new tenancy agreement. However, an addendum will need to be signed. This is a 3-4 page document that is an extension of the existing tenancy agreement. It includes updated terms such as break clauses, rent increase and any other variations on the original agreement. We execute the addendum when we have an updated right-to-rent check and a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

If your time-limited visa has expired prior to the start of the renewal, you’ll need to come to a Knight Frank office, with your visa and passport. We’ll then carry out the necessary checks.

We’re members of the Dogs Trust Lets with Pets scheme. We do our best to match pet owners with pet-friendly landlords, actively encouraging landlords to consider responsible tenants with furry friends.

The Lets with Pets campaign encourages landlords to accept pets, offering pet owners the opportunity to keep their beloved companions while helping buy-to-let landlords secure regular rental income.

• Don’t leave your house hunting until the last minute - give yourself plenty of time and allow 6 to 8 weeks.
• Be as flexible as possible and keep an open mind to solutions.
• Write a CV for your pet, including information about training it’s had, or highlighting positive aspects of its temperament or behaviour. You can also use the CV to demonstrate your commitment to being a responsible pet owner.
• Get a reference for your pet from a previous landlord or your vet.
• Introduce your pet to your potential landlord.
• For an AST tenancy, the landlord may ask for a higher rent.
• For a non-AST tenancy, be prepared to pay a higher deposit.
• Be honest, don’t sneak your pet in without permission.
• If you have permission for your pet, make sure there is a pet clause in your tenancy agreement.

Still have questions? No problem. Contact your nearest office to speak to our agents about renting with pets in your area. Or search for a pet-friendly property on our website.